Method and system for accessing interactive multimedia information or services from braille documents

ABSTRACT

System and method to enable blind people to detect and access hyperlinks within Braille documents. A proximity sensing foil placed under a Braille page senses the position of a reader&#39;s fingertips and provides coordinates of the sensed position. A workstation computes the distance between the sensed position and the predefined positions hyperlinks the page is known to contain, which are initially stored in a hyperlink table. When the user&#39;s fingertips are positioned over a hyperlink, the computed distance is less than a threshold value, in which case an acoustic signal alerts the user that a hyperlink is present. The user may then access the hyperlink.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the accessibility, byblind and vision impaired people, to interactive hypermedia systems suchas the Web directly from Braille documents.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Accessibility

[0003] Many groups in academia, government, and private industry areworking on ways to guarantee universal access to the on-line world forall segments of society. This social movement, combined with a strongpush to provide better accessibility in the workplace, is driving anincreasingly urgent call for novel technologies.

[0004] As information technology (IT) penetrates all commercial andpublic transactions and communications, worldwide advocates for peoplewith disabilities have demanded accessibility for everyone. In response,governments have begun to require IT to be accessible for people withdisabilities through new regulations and standards. In the UnitedStates, for example, federal, state and local governments have initiatedlegislation requiring computer technology to be accessible to peoplewith disabilities (refer to web site www.access-board.gov). Many othercountries have established regulations that mandate accessibility atsome level, or they are in the process of developing them. In addition,international standards organizations have been working to developaccessibility standards.

[0005] Accessibility Aids for Blind People

[0006] For someone who is completely unable to use a normal screen orread printed text, there are two alternatives: Braille and Speech. Theassistance of blind and visually impaired people encompasses today awide range of technical solutions from interactive speech software andcognitive tools, to screen reader software, screen enlargement programs,keyboard access utilities, and so forth.

[0007] Screen Readers convert text to speech, allowing blind orvision-impaired users to hear what is displayed on their computerscreen. For example, “Jaws for Windows” is a computer screen-readerapplication from Henter-Joyce. It operates with Windows NT 4.0, Windows98 and Windows 95 and includes an enhanced software speech synthesizerfor speaking in several languages. Note: Windows is a trademark ofMicrosoft Corporation, a company with corporate headquarters in Redmond,Wash., USA.

[0008] Web Page Readers read aloud Web-based text just as it appears onenabled Web pages. For example, “Home Page Reader” of IBM, understandsHTML (Hypertext Markup Language), the programming language used todesign Web pages. It can accurately read text in tables, or included ingraphic descriptions, thus allowing blind users to navigate easily onthe Web. Note: IBM is a trademark of International Business MachinesCorporation, a company with corporate headquarters in Armonk, N.Y., USA.

[0009] Mail Readers use a screen reader for converting the text of ane-mail to speech. For example, the built-in features of “Lotus NotesRelease 5” by IBM enable blind users to check the status of their e-mail(unread, read, deleted), to use calendar functions, and to file andorganize documents.

[0010] Scanning Reading Systems first scan the information printed on aphysical support. Then, using a speech synthesizer, this information canbe read to blind people. For example, “Open Book: Ruby Edition 4.0” byIBM is a program that transforms a computer, a sound card, and a scannerinto a complete reading machine for reading books, magazines, memos,bills, and many other printed documents.

[0011] Braille Editing Systems (BES) enable users to input Braillecharacters from the keyboard. For instance, IBM provides a BES that canbe downloaded free of charge from the IBM Web.

[0012] Screen Magnifiers enable users with low-vision to magnify textand images on the computer screen. For example, “MAGic ScreenMagnification,” from Henter-Joyce, is a screen magnification product forWindows.

[0013] Relevance of Braille

[0014] Braille is a code which enables blind people to read and write.Braille characters are made of a rectangular “cell” comprising six dotsin up to 63 combinations. The alphabet, numbers, music notation, and anyother symbol that appears in print can be replicated in Braille byarranging the combinations of the six dots. The dots of Braille are alsoused for mathematics, scientific equations, computer notations, andforeign languages. Braille is embossed by hand or with a machine ontothick paper, and read by touching the Braille characters, usually usingthe first finger on one or both hands moving across on top of the dots.Since Braille characters take up three times as much space as print, aset of standard contractions, known as Grade 2 Braille, has been definedto save space. With just 6 dots it is possible to define numbers,punctuation, math, and music. Grade 3 Braille provides an even morecontracted form.

[0015] All people need to read, write, and count in order to enjoyintellectual freedom, personal security, and equal opportunities in oursociety. Braille is the universal alphabet for those whose vision issufficiently impaired that they cannot read printed documents. Brailleis the only reliable method of literacy for blind persons because itenables them to read and write. Thus, blind persons of all ages and inall walks of life need to use Braille in the same ways that sightedpersons need to use print.

[0016] Listening is not literacy. Although the use of tape recorders andcomputers with synthetic speech have recently reduced the use ofBraille, listening to a document is not the same thing as reading it.Braille is the best way for children who are blind or visually impairedto develop skills in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Audio tapes andcomputers that read a text through a voice synthesizer program provideaccess to all sorts of written materials, but they fail to give newreaders the tools that they need to read and write for themselves and toperform complex tasks independently. For example, although some complexcharts and graphs are almost impossible to describe orally, they canclearly be communicated in Braille.

[0017] Web Access from Braille Documents

[0018] Recently, due mainly to the widespread use of personal computersand the universal access of millions of users to the World Wide Web,“multimedia publishing” has veritably exploded. Due to the widespreadpenetration of CD-ROM drives, an enormous number of multimedia titlescombining text, images, and sounds, are now accessible to owners ofpersonal computers. In this evolution, a large amount of hypermediainformation is accessible today via the Internet on the World Wide Web,by sighted as well as by blind people. Today, many people agree thatBraille documents are the most universal and convenient source ofinformation for the blind, and that, in the future, the Web could be animportant source of information.

[0019] Consequently, an object of the invention is to promote the use ofBraille by enhancing the information provided to blind people whenreading Braille documents.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to enable blind peopleto select and access electronic multimedia services provided by one or aplurality of servers connected on a communication network, preferablythe World Wide Web.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to enable blind peopleto select and access an electronic multimedia service directly fromBraille documents.

[0022] Yet another object of the present invention is to enable blindpeople to sense, over a Braille document, hyperlinked physical regionsthat can be selected to access electronic multimedia services.

[0023] A further object of the present invention is to select and accessan electronic multimedia service simply by detecting the proximity ofthe user's fingertips to hyperlinked physical regions over a Brailledocument while preserving the integrity of the document.

[0024] It is a particular object of the invention to improve the accessto the World Wide Web for blind people.

SUMMARY

[0025] The invention relates generally to the accessibility of blind andvision impaired people to interactive hypermedia systems such as the Webdirectly from Braille documents.

[0026] The invention is directed to a system and method for use, in auser system, for accessing hyperlinks to information or services from aBraille document comprising one or more pages. The method comprises thesteps of:

[0027] identifying and selecting one or more pages;

[0028] for each selected page of the Braille document:

[0029] detecting, using a proximity sensing foil placed and alignedunder the page, items touched by the user on the surface of the page;

[0030] for each touched item on the page:

[0031] determining the physical position of the touched item on the pageby means of the proximity sensing foil;

[0032] storing, in a hyperlink table, an identification of the toucheditem based on the physical position, on the proximity sensing foil, ofthe touched item;

[0033] creating, in the hyperlink table, a hyperlink from the toucheditem to information and/or service (both of which are referred togenerically herein below as “information”).

[0034] Braille in every situation. Aside from using Braille to read allkinds of textbooks and documents, Braille is useful in a variety ofother ways. Braille can be used at home to label, for example, tapes,CDs, clothes, thread, spices, cans of food, and computer disks. Peoplewho read Braille can play card games such as bridge and board games suchas Scrabble. At school, a student who is visually impaired and knowsBraille can take notes using a slate and stylus, scan a text to find thepart to study, and re-read homework assignments before handing them in.Braille readers can look things up and go bask and forth in the textmore easily. Children can write personal messages and leave notes forparents and caregivers in Braille. Braille can be easily read by sightedpeople with some Braille training. And, of course, there are computerprograms that transcribe Braille to print or vice versa”.

[0035] Web Access from Braille Documents

[0036] During the last years, due mainly to the widespread use ofpersonal computers and the universal access of millions of users to theWorld Wide Web, the “multimedia publishing” has veritably exploded. Dueto the widespread penetration of CD-ROM drives an enormous amount ofmultimedia titles coining text, images and sounds, are now accessible toowners of personal computers. In this evolution, an incredible amount ofhypermedia information is today accessible via the Internet on the worldWide Web, by sighted as well as by blind people. Today most people agreethat for the blind:

[0037] Braille documents constitute today the most universal andconvenient source of information;

[0038] the Web could be in the future an important source ofinformation.

[0039] Publication entitled “Inexpensive Tactile Interaction for BlindComputer Users: Two Application Domains” by Helen Petrie et al. (IEEColloquium on Developments in Tactile Displays, London 21 Jan. 1997)discloses a multimedia interface for blind computer users integratingaudio (both speech and non-speech) and tactile information. Interfacesfor hypermedia information, including a WWW browser and an interface toa geographic information system (GIS), have been developed to allowsblind people to explore digitilized map information. These interfacesuse touchtablets which may be covered with tactile overlays to provideinexpensive tactile interaction, and a 40 character Braille display. Anon visual interface called DAHNI has been designed to help blindcomputer users to navigate through hypermedia applications such as theWWW. The commands used in DAHNI are designed to be to easy to use bynovice blind computer users and are arranged in a symmetrical shapecalled Workspace. The sideways “H” shape of layout for the commands isto provide more spatial diversity to aid proprioceptive feedback. Allthe commands on the workspace are spoken by a dititalized human voice,in order to distinguish the commands from the content of the hypermediainformation itself which is spoken by synthetic speech. Users canexplore the workspace with either the keyboard, a joystick or atouchtablet. For the touchtablets, tactile overlays indicate thelocation of the commands which can then be accessed directly.

[0040] European patent application EP 0 959 445 entitled “Input/OutputTactile Feel Device” (F. J. Tieman B. V.) discloses a Braille deviceincluding a plurality of Braille cells that comprise a plurality of pinsthat are actively positioned to present information to a user viatactile feel.

[0041] The Braille device also allows the user to depress at one or morethe pins in order to make a selection analogous to point and click of amouse. To allow the user to move a screen cursor and make selections viathe Braille pins, the Braille cell includes pin position sensingcircuitry that senses the position of each of the plurality of Braillepins. A system controller (eg., a CPU) reads the information from thesensing circuitry to determine which pins, if any have been depressed.Advantageously, the Braille pins are used as an output device thatallows a user to read information, and also as an input device byallowing the user to depress the Braille pins in order to make aselection

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0042] It is an object of the invention to promote the use of Braille byenhancing the information provided to blind people when reading Brailledocuments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The invention will best be understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0044]FIG. 1 shows the main components of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, and more particularly a system for identifying a pageof a Braille document using a bar code reader.

[0045]FIG. 2 shows a Braille document.

[0046]FIG. 3 shows a particular page of a Braille document according tothe present invention.

[0047]FIG. 4 shows the content of a hyperlink table associated with aBraille document according to the present invention.

[0048]FIG. 5 shows a proximity sensing foil placed and aligned under apage of a Braille document according to the present invention.

[0049]FIG. 6 shows how the user is alerted by a sound, a beep, or anyother perceptible signal that the item he reads is a hyperlinked item.

[0050]FIG. 7 shows how the user activates a hyperlink by pressing areserved key on his workstation.

[0051]FIG. 8 shows a system for selecting and accessing Web pages from aBraille document, according to the present invention.

[0052]FIG. 9 shows the method for creating hyperlinks on a Brailledocument according to the present invention.

[0053]FIG. 10 shows a method for detecting and activating hyperlinksfrom a Braille document according to the present invention.

[0054]FIG. 11 shows how the proximity sensing foil detects the positionof the user's fingertips over a Braille document according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The present invention is directed to a system and method to makeinteractive multimedia information and services linked with items (e.g.,words or relief regions) embossed or engraved on physical Brailledocuments accessible to blind or visually impaired users.

[0056] The invention includes a system and method to enable blind peopleto detect hyperlinks and to access, from these hyperlinks, multimediainformation and/or services located on one or more servers connected toa communication network. An acoustic signal may be used to call theuser's attention to hyperlinked items or regions on the physical surfaceof a Braille document. This signal is activated by the proximity of theuser's fingertip.

[0057] The system includes: a proximity sensing foil placed under thepage of the Braille document for determining the position of the user'sfingertips and for computing its coordinates, and a user system,preferably a personal computer or a workstation, for comparing theposition of the user's fingertips over the Braille document with thelocation of predefined hyperlinked items on the Braille document. Anacoustic signals alerts the user when one of his fingertips is detectedby the system in the vicinity of a hyperlink. The user can then selectand activate this hyperlink and can access the information and/or theservice associated with the selected hyperlink.

[0058] While a user is reading a page of a Braille document, a proximitysensing foil placed under the page detects the position of hisfingertips and computes the coordinates of the sensed position. Thesecoordinates are sent to the user workstation. The user workstation thencomputes the distance between the sensed position and the positions ofthe hyperlinks defined on this page. The coordinates of hyperlinks arestored in a hyperlink table during an initial phase. If the computeddistance between the sensed position and a particular hyperlink on thehyperlink table is smaller than a predetermined minimum value, it isconcluded that user's fingertips are positioned over the correspondinghyperlink. The user workstation then alerts the user by an acousticsignal or any other perceptible signal that a hyperlink is associatedwith the item. The user can then choose to activate this hyperlink byany means (e.g., by pressing a special key on the user workstation).When the user activates the detected hyperlink, the user workstationidentifies, in the same hyperlink table, a server, and, within thisserver, the information and/or the service associated with the detectedhyperlink. Finally, a request is sent to the identified server foraccessing the desired information and/or service.

[0059] In an illustrative embodiment, the user workstation is connectedto the Internet, and comprises a Web Browser application. Servers areWeb servers, and the information or/and the service may be Web pageslinked to the items embossed or engraved on the Braille document.

[0060]FIG. 1 illustrates the system according to a preferred embodimentof the present invention. A Braille document (101) (e.g., a Braillebook) is shown with bar codes (102) printed on its pages. The Brailledocument (101) can be any kind of document, for example a newspaper, anovel, a textbook, a technical book, a commercial catalog, or any othertype of Braille code engraved or embossed surface. The composition ofthe document can be paper, plastic, wood or any other nonconductivematerial. Any Braille character or combination of characters (words) onthe document can be hyperlinked to different types multimediainformation or services (sounds, music, speech synthesizers, Web pagereaders, tape players/recorders, and so forth).

[0061] A user workstation (105) is provided for accessing and displayingmultimedia information and services. The bar codes are read by a barcode reader (103) connected to a user workstation, and are used by theuser workstation to identify the document and each page of the document.In an illustrative embodiment, the workstation is connected to acommunication network, preferably the Internet. Some of the Brailleitems on the document are linked to multimedia information and/orservices located on the user workstation or on remote servers (106).

[0062] A proximity sensing foil (104) is placed underneath a page of theBraille document. The proximity sensing foil (104) may be made oftransparent capacitive films of the type commonly used to manufacturetouch screens. The generated signal is generally proportional to thecoordinates of the point pressed. One example of such a touch foil isthe MicroTouch ThruGlass' projected capacitive technology, with asensing range of up to 1″ (25.4 mm) though paper, glass, or any othernon-conductive material. ThruGlass™ (Projected Capacitive Touchscreens)is a trademark of MICRO TOUCH company. The ThruGlass technology is fullydescribed in the Web site of MICRO TOUCH Company athttp://www.microtouch.com/.

[0063] The user workstation (105) is used to access and displayinformation and/or services locally stored or located on remote servers(106) connected to the network (107). The user workstation may be, forexample, an Internet appliance or a multimedia Personal Computer (PC).The proximity sensing foil (104) may communicate with the userworkstation, for example using a cable, a wire pair, an infrared link,or a wireless radio link.

[0064] To retrieve and display multimedia information or to access amultimedia service associated with a hyperlinked item on a Brailledocument (101), the user uses a specific key (108) on the keyboard ofhis workstation. The position of the hyperlinked item detected by theproximity sensing foil identifies a server and the informationassociated with the selected hyperlinked item within this server. Theuser workstation (105) then accesses the identified server (106) andretrieves and displays the information or/and service.

[0065] In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6,the user workstation (606) is connected to the Internet (611). The userworkstation includes a Web Browser (608) (also called “Web Client”) toaccess the World-Wide-Web (WWW). When the user touches (602) ahyperlinked item (603) on the Braille document (601) placed over theproximity sensing foil (604), the user workstation (606) generates anacoustic signal (605). This signal alerts the user that the itemcontains a hyperlink. The position of the hyperlinked item (603)detected by the proximity sensing foil (604) identifies a Web server(607) and, within this Web server, Web pages or Web multimedia services.Once the hyperlinked item is selected, the Web Browser program (608)sends an HTTP request (609) to the identified Web Server (607). Theresponse (610) to the request (HTTP response) is sent back by the WebServer (607) in the reverse direction to the Web Browser (608). The HTTPresponse (610) comprises the requested Web pages or Web multimediaservices associated with the selected hyperlinked item.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 9, the method of creating hyperlinks foraccessing multimedia information or services from items engraved orembossed on a Braille document (like the document shown in FIG. 2entitled “Early British Kingdoms”), comprises the steps of:

[0067] (901) assigning a reference number (201) (identifier) to theBraille document;

[0068] (902) selecting one or more pages of the Braille document;

[0069] assigning an identifying means and marking each selected page ofthe Braille document;

[0070] for each selected page of the Braille document (or portion of thedocument):

[0071] (903) selecting one or more items (engraved or embossed items),preferably Braille characters or Braille words (combination of Braillecharacters) on the page;

[0072] (904) creating hyperlinks from the selected items to informationand/or services accessible from the user workstation;

[0073] (905) placing and aligning a proximity sensing foil under thepage;

[0074] touching (906), on the page, the selected hyperlinked item;

[0075] determining the position, on the proximity sensing foil, of thetouched items; and

[0076] storing, in a hyperlink table, an identification of each selectedhyperlink item based on the position on this proximity sensing foil ofeach touched item.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 2, for the editor or publisher, the step ofassigning (901) a reference number to a Braille document comprises thefurther steps of:

[0078] assigning an identifier such as a reference number (201) to thisdocument (e.g., 873) for identifying the document;

[0079] engraving in Braille and printing the identifier on the document;

[0080] creating a hyperlink table accessible from the user workstation;and

[0081] associating the hyperlink table with the document, the hyperlinktable comprising the reference number of the document and other relevantinformation related to the document such as title, author, ISBN(International Standard Book Number), date, and so forth. The hyperlinktable may be stored within the user workstation or may be stored in anexternal memory accessible from the user workstation.

[0082] In a preferred embodiment, the header of the newly createdhyperlink table associated with the document shown in FIG. 2 is built asfollows: Doc: 0873 Title: “Early British Kingdoms” Author: David NashFord of Binfield, Berkshire, UK Date: 28 Jan. 2000 ISBN: 84-344-0856-2Pg: X = |Y = Link:

[0083] As shown in FIG. 3, for the editor or publisher, the step ofselecting and marking (902) pages to create hyperlinks comprises thefurther steps of generating a bar code (301) for identifying thedocument number (302) of the document and the page number (303), andattaching (or printing, sticking) this bar code to the page preferablyin a fixed and predetermined place (e.g. on the bottom left corner or onthe bottom right corner of the page).

[0084] A bar code reader may be used to enter the document number andthe actual page number into the user workstation. Alternatively, oroptionally, the same information may be engraved on Braille characterson the same page of the document.

[0085] For the editor or publisher, the step of selecting (903) items ona page of a Braille document and creating (904) hyperlinks comprises thefurther steps of:

[0086] identifying, locating, and optionally marking the items on thepage (e.g., by underlining them);

[0087] storing the page number in the hyperlink table associated withthe Braille document (e.g., 16);

[0088] associating each item with a destination address within thecommunication network, this destination address identifying a serverconnected to a communication network and the information and/or servicesthe user wants to access within this server; and

[0089] storing the destination address associated with this item (e.g.,a URL—Uniform Resource Locator—address for example) in the hyperlinktable.

[0090] In the preferred embodiment, the hyperlink table associated withthe page shown in FIG. 3 is built as follows: Doc: 0873 Title: “EarlyAuthor: David Nash Ford British Kingdoms” of Binfield, Berkshire, UKDate: 28 Jan. 2000 ISBN: 84-344-0856-2 Pg: 16 X = |Y = Link: Mabinogionhttp://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/ taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm X =|Y = Link: Avalon http://freespace.virgin.net/ david.ford2/avalon.html X= |Y = Link: Afallach http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach X = |Y = Link: Beli Mawrhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ david.ford2/gods.html#Beli

[0091] As shown in FIG. 5, after the hyperlinked items have been definedin the hyperlink table associated with the Braille document, theproximity sensing foil is placed over (or under) the page and alignedwith the borders of this page (e.g., by adjusting the upper left cornerof the proximity sensing foil with the upper left corner of the page).

[0092] (906) To determining the position of hyperlinked items on thepage by means of the proximity sensing foil placed underneath, as shownalso in FIG. 5, for each Braille item previously marked on the page(“Mabinogion”, “Avalon”, “Afallach”, “Beli Mawr”), the user presses(e.g., by the finger tip) the corresponding mark of the item on thepage. Once the coordinates of each marked item on the page have beenmeasured, the hyperlink table is updated as follows: Doc: 0873 Title:“Early Author: David Nash Ford British Kingdoms” of Binfield, Berkshire,UK Date: 28 Jan. 2000 ISBN: 84-344-0856-2 Pg: 16 X = 30 | Link:Mabinogion http://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/ Y = 95taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm X = 255 | Link: Avalonhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 150 david.ford2/avalon.html X = 225 |Link: Afallach http://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 160david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach X = 190 | Link: Beli Mawrhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 230 david.ford2/gods.html#Beli

[0093] For example, on page 16 of document 873 entitled “Early BritishKingdoms,” writen by David Nash Ford of Binfield, the coordinates of theBraille engraved word “Mabinogion” are X=30/Y=95. This Braille markedword “Mabinopion” points to the URL addresshttp://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm.

[0094] Using the herein described method for the different pages of thesame document, the hyperlink table, also shown on FIG. 4, appears asfollows: Doc: 0873 Title: “Early Author: David Nash Ford BritishKingdoms” of Binfield, Berkshire, UK Date: 28 Jan. 2000 ISBN:84-344-0856-2 Pg: 3 X = 45 | Link: Buellt & http://freespace.virgin.net/Y = 130 Gwerthrynion david.ford2/buellt.html X = 205| Link: Caer-Baddanhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 170 (Bath) david.ford2/south.html#GlouiX = 75 | Link: Caer-Celemion http://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 190(Silchester) david.ford2/vortigern.html X = 110| Link: Ceredigionhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 255 david.ford2/ceredigion.html . . . .. . Pg: 16 X = 30 | Link: Mabinogion http://www.cyberphile.co.uk/˜taff/Y = 95 taffnet/mabinogion/mabinogion.htm X = 255| Link: Avalonhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 150 david.ford2/avalon.html X = 225|Link: Afallach http://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 160david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach X = 190| Link: Beli Mawrhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 230 david.ford2/gods.html#Beli . . . .. . Pg: 39 X = 25 | Link: St. Joseph http://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 30of Arimathea david.ford2/joseph.html X = 80 | Link: The Kingshttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 75 of Dumnoniadavid.ford2/dumnonia.html X = 140| Link: Eudaf Henhttp://freespace.virgin.net/ Y = 135 & Conan Meri.david.ford2/eudanc.html . . .

[0095]FIG. 2 shows a Braille document entitled “Early British Kingdoms,”(Doc: 873) for blind or visually impaired users. Hyperlinks have beenpreviously defined between certain items selected on the pages andinformation and/or services on the user workstation or on serversconnected by a communication network, preferably the Internet. As shownin FIG. 10, the method for activating hyperlinks and for accessinginformation and/or services directly from the hyperlinked items locatedon the pages of the Braille document, comprises the steps of:

[0096] (1001) selecting a Braille document by entering the referencenumber of this document in the user workstation;

[0097] (1002) selecting a page (or a portion) of the Braille document byentering the page number in the user workstation;

[0098] (1003) determining whether or not the selected page comprises atleast one hyperlinked items;

[0099] (1004) placing and aligning a proximity sensing foil under theselected page;

[0100] (1005) determining by means of the proximity sensing foil theposition of the user's fingertips on the surface of this page;

[0101] (1006) detecting when the user's fingertips are positioned over,or nearby, a hyperlinked item and alerting the user;

[0102] (1007) selecting a detected hyperlinked item and activating thehyperlink corresponding to the hyperlinked item;

[0103] (1008) identifying the hyperlink in the hyperlink table from theposition of the selected hyperlinked item, the hyperlink tablecomprising an indication of the position (coordinates X, Y) of eachhyperlinked item on each page of the Braille document;

[0104] (1009) identifying the information or/and the service associatedwith the selected hyperlinked item referring to the hyperlink table, thehyperlink table comprising, for each hyperlinked item of the selectedpage, the identification of the requested information and/or service inthe user workstation or within the network (preferably by means of adestination address);

[0105] (1010) accessing the information and/or service; and

[0106] (1011) retrieving and displaying this information and/or service.

[0107] (1001) Entering the Reference Number of the Braille Document: Bymeans of any user interface (keyboard, bar code reader, voicerecognition software and microphone, and so forth), the user enters thereference number (identifier) of the document (e.g.: document 873) hewants to select (201). In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 1, theuser enters the reference number of the document (e.g.: Doc: 873) bymeans of a bar code reader (103). The reference number is encoded in barcodes printed on pages of the document (102), (301) on predefinedreserved places. This procedure gives access to the hyperlink table (seeFIG. 4) associated with the selected Braille document.

[0108] (1002) Selecting a Page of the Braille Document: In theembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the user selects a page ofthe Braille document (101) and enters the page number by means of thebar code reader (103). This procedure gives access to the selected page(e.g., Pg. 16) within the hyperlink table (see FIG. 4) associated withthe selected document (e.g., Doc: 387).

[0109] (1003) Determining whether or not the selected page compriseshyperlinked items: If one or more hyperlinked items have been defined onthe selected page, the user is alerted by a perceptible signal (e.g., a“beep”). Otherwise the user can read this page in the normal way (i.e.,without placing the proximity sensing foil under the page).

[0110] (1004) Placing and aligning the proximity sensing foil under apage of the document: As shown in FIG. 5, after the step of selecting aBraille document and a page containing hyperlinks, the proximity sensingfoil is placed under the page and aligned with the borders of theselected page (e.g., by adjusting the upper left corner of the proximitysensing foil with the upper right or left corner of the page).

[0111] (1005) Determining the position of the user's fingertips on thesurface of the page: The operating mode of the proximity sensing foil isillustrated in FIG. 11. When the user reads the Braille document usinghis fingertips, the proximity sensing foil continuously detects theposition of the fingertips on the surface of the page. The coordinatesof the user's fingertips are directly sent to the user workstation. Theuser workstation, using the coordinates of the hyperlinks defined forthis page on the Hyperlink Table, determines whether or not the user'sfingertips are placed over a hyperlinked item on the Braille document.

[0112] (1006) Detecting when the user's fingertips are positioned over ahyperlinked item and alerting the user: As shown in FIG. 6, when theuser workstation detects that the user's fingertips are placed over, ornearby, a hyperlinked item on the page (e.g., the word “Afallach”), theuser is alerted by means by a perceptible signal (e.g., a “beep”).

[0113] (1007) Selecting a detected hyperlink: As shown in FIG. 7, whenthe user detects the presence of a hyperlinked item (e.g., the word“Afallach”), he can activate this hyperlink by pressing, for example, akey on the user workstation.

[0114] (1008) Identifyng the hyperlink in the hyperlink table from theposition of the detected hyperlinked item: As shown in FIG. 8, when theuser selects a hyperlinked item (“Afallach”) on the page, the proximitysensing foil generates a signal and sends it to the user workstation.The signal indicates the position of the selected item on the page. Thesignal is generally proportional to the coordinates (X/Y) of the pointpressed. In our example, the proximity sensing foil measures theposition on the page of the item (“Afallach”) selected by the user. Thecoordinates measured at this point are approximately X=225 and Y=160.

[0115] The item selected by the user is identified by referring to thehyperlink table, which hyperlink table comprises an indication of theposition (coordinates X, Y) of each hyperlinked items on each page ofthe document. In our example, the coordinates measured by the proximitysensing foil are approximately X=225 and Y=160, which correspond to thehyperlinked item “Afallach” in the hyperlink table.

[0116] The hyperlink table is either stored locally in the userworkstation, or is retrieved from a remote server and then storedlocally in the use workstation, or is stored in a remote server andaccessed remotely.

[0117] (1009) Identifying the information associated with the selecteditem: As shown in FIG. 4, the hyperlink table includes, for eachhyperlinked item of each page of the Braille document, the locationwithin the network of the requested information and/or service. Theinformation and/or service may be located by means of a destinationaddress. In the Internet network, Web pages in Web Servers areidentified by means of a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). In our example,the hyperlink table associates the hyperlinked Braille item “Afallach”with the URL http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach.

[0118] (1010) Accessing the information and/or service: The userworkstation Web activates the hyperlink (destination address, URL, andso forth) associated with the selected hyperlinked item in the hyperlinktable. In our example, the hyperlink labeled “Afallach” is activatedbecause the computed distance between the sensed position and thehyperlink on the hyperlink table, page 16 with coordinates X=225, Y=160and labeled “Afallach” page 16, is smaller than a predetermined minimumvalue. It is concluded that user's fingertips are positioned over thehyperlink labeled “Afallach”. Thus, the following Web site is accessed:http://freespace.virgin.net/david.ford2/gods.html#Afallach.

[0119] (1011) Retrieving and displaying the requested information and/orservice: As shown in FIG. 7, the information or service associated withthe selected destination address (URL) is retrieved and displayed on theuser workstation (e.g., an audio record about “Afallach: The god of theunderworld”).

[0120] While the invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood thatvarious changes in form and detail may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit, and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for use in a user system (104, 606) ofcreating hyperlinks for accessing information or services from a Brailledocument (101, 601) comprising one or a plurality of pages, comprisingthe steps of: identifying and selecting (902) one or a plurality ofpages; for each selected page of the Braille document (601): detecting(908) by means of a proximity sensed foil (104, 604) placed and aligned(905) under the page, items touched by user on the surface of the page;for each touched item on the page: determining the physical position ofsaid touched item an the page by means of the proximity sense foil (104,604); a storing in an hyperink table (608) an identification of saidtouched item based on the physical position on the proximity sense foilof said touched item; creating (904) in said hyperlink table (608) anhyperlink from said touched item to information and/or service.
 2. Themethod of creating hyperlinks according to the preceding claimcomprising the preliminary steps of: identifying (901) the Brailledocument (101, 601), the Braille document comprising an identifyingmeans, preferably a reference number (201) or optionally a bar code(302).
 3. The method of creating hyperlinks according to any one of thepreceding claims wherein said stop of identifying (901) the Brailledocument, comprises the further step of: creating the hyperlink table(608); associating said hyperlink table with the Braille document;storing in said hyperlink table said means (201, 302) for identifyingthe Braille document.
 4. The method of creating hyperlinks according toany one of the preceding claims wherein the step of storing in saidhyperlink table (608) said means (201) for co identifying the Brailledocument (101, 601), comprises the further step of: storing in thehyperlink table (608) means for identifying each page of the Brailledocument, preferably a page number (303) or optionally a bar code (102,301).
 5. The method of creating hyperlinks according to any one of thepreceding claims wherein a page of the Braille document is defined as aportion of said Braille document.
 6. The method of creating hyperlinksaccording to any one of the preceding claims wherein said detected items(603) are engraved or embossed item, preferably Braille characters orBraille words.
 7. The method of creating hyperlinks according to any oneof the preceding claims wherein the step of storing in said hyperlinktable (605) the identifying means of the Braille document, comprises thefurther step of: storing in said hyperlink table additional Informationrelated to the Braille document such as title, author, ISBN(International Standard Book Number), date.
 8. The method of creatinghyperlinks according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the stepof creating the hyperlink table (608) comprises the further step of:storing said hyperlink table within the user system or in an externalmemory accessible from the user system.
 9. The method of creatinghyperlinks according to any one of the preceding claims wherein theproximity sense foil (104, 602) communicates with the user system (108,600).
 10. The method of creating hyperlinks according to any one of thepreceding claims wherein the step of creating (904) in said hyperlinktable an hyperlink from said touched item to an information and forservice, comprises the further step of: associating an informationand/or service with said touched item; storing in said hyperlink tablemeans for identifying and locating said associated information and/orservice.
 11. The method of creating hyperlinks according to any ode ofthe preceding claims wherein the user system (606) is connected to acommunication network (611) comprising one or plurality of servers(607), and wherein the information and/or service associated with atouched item is located on said one or plurality of servers (607). 12.The method of creating hyperlinks according to any one of the precedingclaims 0 wherein the step of storing in said hyperlink table means foridentifying and locating Lu said associated information and/or service,comprises the further steps of: storing an address in the communicationnetwork where the information and/or service associated with thehyperlinked item can be accessed.
 13. The method of creating hyperlinksaccording to any one of the preceding claims wherein the informationand/or services associated with a touched item is located on the usersystem (606).
 14. The method of creating hyperlinks according to any oneof the preceding claims wherein: said communication network (611) is anInternet Protocol (IP) network; said servers (607) are Web servers; saiduser system (606) comprises a Web browser; said address is an UniformResource Locator (URL address); said information and/or service are Webpages.
 15. A user system (150, 606) comprising means adapted forcarrying out the steps of the method of creating hyperlinks according toany one of claims 1 to
 14. 16. A system for creating hyperlinkscomprising: a user system (105, 606) according to claim 15; a proximitysense foil to be placed (104, 604) under a Braille document (101, 601),a connection between said proximity sense foil and the user system; andoptionally, a bar code reader (103) connected to said user system (105,605) for reading the bar codes on pages of the Braille document.
 17. Thesystem according to the preceding claim wherein the proximity sense foil(104, 604) is sensible to the pressure exercised over any point of itssurface.
 18. A computer program comprising instructions for carrying outthe steps of the method according to claims 1 to 14 when said computerprogram is executed in the user system (105, 605) according to claim 15.19. A method for use in a user system (105, 606) for accessinginformation and/or services from one or a plurality of hyperlinked itemslocated in a Braille document (101, 601) comprising one or a pluralityof pages, comprising the steps of: identifying (1001) a Braille document(101, 601); identifying (1002) a page of the Braille document;determining (1003) whether or not the identified page comprises one or aplurality of hyperlinked items referring to an hyperlink table (608)associated with the Braille document, said hyperlink table comprisingfor each identified page a L list of hyperlinked items; determining(1005) by means of a proximity sensing foil (104, 604) placed andaligned (1004) under the selected page, the position of the usersfingertips (602) on the surface of the page; warning (1006) the user(605) when his fingertips (502) are positioned over or in the proximityof an hyperlinked item (603); detecting (1007) the selection by the userof an hyperlinked item (603); identifying (1008) said selectedhyperlinked item (603) in the hyperlink table from its position on theselected page, said hyperlink table comprising an indication of theposition of each hyperlinked item on the selected page; identifying(1009) the information or/and the service associated with the selectedhyperlinked item referring to the hyperlink table, the hyperlink tablecomprising for each hyperlinked item of the selected page anidentification of an information and/or service; accessing (1010) theinformation and/or service.
 20. The method of determining (1003) whetheror not the identified page comprises one or a plurality of hyperlinkeditems referring to an hyperlink table (608) associated with the Brailledocument, said hyperlink table comprising for each identified page alist of hyperlinked items, according to the preceding claim comprisingthe preliminary steps of: creating the hyperlink table according to themethod according to claims 1 to 14; associating said hyperlink tablewith the Braille document.
 21. The method of accessing informationand/or services according to claim 19 comprising the preliminary stepsof creating the hyperlink table (508); associating said hyperlink tablewith the Braille document, storing in said hyperlink table; a means(201) for identifying the Braille document (101, 601); means foridentifying each page of the Braille document, preferably a page number(303) or optionally a bar code (102, 301); optionally additionalinformation related to the Braille document such as title, author, ISBN(International Standard Book Number), date; an indication of theposition of each hyperlinked item on each page of the Braille document;means for identifying and accessing information and/or serviceassociated with each hyperlinked item.
 22. The method of accessinginformation and/for services according to any one of claims 19 to 21wherein the step of warning (1006) the user (605) when his fingertips(602) are positioned over or in the proximity of an hyperlinked item(603), comprises the further step of: generating a perceptible signal(605) preferably an acoustic signal.
 23. The method of accessinginformation and/or services according to any one of claims 19 to 22wherein the step of determining (1003) whether or not the identifiedpage comprises one or a plurality of hyperlinked items comprises thefurther step of: warning the user when the identified page comprises oneor a plurality of hyperlinked items.
 24. The method of accessinginformation and/or services according to any one of claims 19 to 23wherein the Braille document (101, 601) comprises identifying means;preferably a reference number (201) or optionally a bar code (302). 25.The method of accessing information and/or services according to any oneof claims 19 to 24 wherein said step of identifying (1001) the Brailledocument, comprises the further step of: identifying the hyperlink table(608) associated with the Braille document.
 26. The method of accessinginformation and/or services according to any one of claims 19 to 25wherein a page of the Braille document is defined as a portion of saidBraille document.
 27. The method of accessing information and/orservices according to any one of claims 19 to 26 wherein saidhyperlinked items (603) are engraved or embossed items, preferablyBraille characters or Braille words.
 28. The method of accessinginformation and/or services according to any one of claims 19 to 27wherein the step of creating the hyperlink table (608) comprises thefurther step of: storing said hyperlink table within the user system orin an external memory accessible from the user system.
 29. The method ofaccessing information and/for services according to any one of claims 19to 28 wherein the proximity sense foil (104, 602) communicates with theuser system (108, 606).
 30. The method of accessing information and/orservices according to any one of claims 19 to 29 wherein the user system(606) is connected to a communication network (611) comprising one orplurality of servers (607), and wherein the information and/or servicesassociated with hyperlinked Items are located on said one or pluralityof servers (507).
 31. The method of accessing information and/orservices according to any one of claims 19 to 30 wherein the informationand/or services associated with hyperlinked items are located on theuser system (606).
 32. The method of accessing information and/orservices according to any one of claims 19 to 31 wherein: saidcommunication network (611) is an Internet Protocol (IP) network; saidservers (607) are Web servers; said user system (606) comprises a Webbrowser, said address is an Uniform Resource Locator (URL address); saidinformation and/or service are Web pages.
 33. A user system (105, 606)for carrying out the method of accessing information and/or servicesaccording to any one of claims 19 to
 32. 34. A system for accessinginformation and/or services comprising: a user system (105, 606)according to claim 33; a proximity sense foil to be placed (104, 604)under a Braille document (101, 601), a connection between said proximitysense fall and the user system; and optionally, a bar code reader (103)connected to said user system (105, 606) for reading the bar codes onpages of the Braille document.
 35. The system according to the precedingclaim wherein the proximity sense foil (104, 604) is sensible to thepressure exercised over any point of its surface.
 36. A computer programcomprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the methodaccording to claims 19 to 32 when said computer program is executed inthe user system (105, 606) according to claim 34.